Unlike other adverse drug reactions, visceral organ involvement is a prominent feature of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome and correlates with mortality. The aim of this study was to systematically review cases published in PubMed-indexed, peer-reviewed journals in which patients had renal injury during the episode of DRESS syndrome (DS). We found 71 cases, of which 67 were adults and 56% were males. Female sex was associated with higher mortality. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was present in 14% of patients who developed acute kidney injury (AKI) during DS. In 21% of cases, the kidneys were the only visceral organ involved, while 54% of patients had both liver and kidney involvement. Eosinophilia was absent in 24% of patients. The most common classes of medication associated with renal injury in DS were antibiotics in 34%, xanthine oxidase inhibitors in 15%, and anticonvulsants in 11%. Among antibiotics, vancomycin was the most common culprit in 68% of patients. AKI was the most common renal manifestation reported in 96% of cases, while isolated proteinuria or hematuria was present in only 4% of cases. In cases with AKI, 88% had isolated increase in creatinine and decrease in glomerular filtration (GFR), 27% had AKI concomitantly with proteinuria, 18% had oliguria, and 13% had concomitant AKI with hematuria. Anuria was the rarest manifestation, occurring in only 4% of patients with DS. Temporary renal replacement therapy was needed in 30% of cases, and all but one patient fully recovered renal function. Mortality of DS in this cohort was 13%, which is higher than previously reported. Medication class, latency period, or pre-existing CKD were not found to be associated with higher mortality. More research, particularly prospective studies, is needed to better recognize the risks associated with renal injury in patients with DS. The development of disease-specific biomarkers would also be useful so DS with renal involvement can be easier distinguished from other eosinophilic diseases that might affect the kidney.
Incidence, risk factors, treatment, and consequences of antibody‐mediated kidney transplant rejection: A systematic review
Abstract Background Antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR) is a leading cause of kidney allograft failure, but its incidence, risk factors, and outcomes are not well understood. Methods We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Scopus from January 2000 to January 2020 to identify published cohorts of ≥500 incident adult or 75 pediatric kidney transplant recipients followed for ≥1 year post‐transplant. Results At least two reviewers screened 5061 articles and abstracts; 28 met inclusion criteria. Incidence of acute AMR was 1.1%‐21.5%; most studies reported 3%‐12% incidence, usually within the first year post‐transplant. Few studies reported chronic AMR incidence, from 7.5%‐20.1% up to 10 years. Almost all patients with acute or chronic AMR received corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin; most received plasmapheresis, and approximately half with rituximab. Most studies examining death‐censored graft failure identified AMR as an independent risk factor. Few reported refractory AMR rates or outcomes, and none examined costs. Most studies were single‐center and varied greatly in design. Conclusions Cohort studies of kidney transplant recipients demonstrate that AMR is common and associated with increased risk of death‐censored graft failure, but studies vary widely regarding populations, definitions, and reported incidence. Gaps remain in our understanding of refractory AMR, its costs, and resulting quality of life.